The Atlanta Braves reportedly promoted third baseman Austin Riley to AAA Gwinnett; Bryse Wilson moves to Pearl.
Atlanta Braves’ number eight prospect the sixth ranked third base prospect in baseball (MLB pipeline) Austin Riley is headed to Gwinnett. Baseball America ranks Riley baseballs #57 prospect while Pipeline has him at #97 and Baseball Prospectus slots him in at #79.is
#Braves 3B prospect Austin Riley has been promoted from Double-A to Triple-A Gwinnett, person familiar with situation said.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) May 6, 2018
#Braves 3B prospect Austin Riley homered, doubled and walked for @mbraves tonight. He's slashing .333/.394/.677 with 6 HR in 2018.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) May 6, 2018
Now at .321/.389/.570 with 19 2B, 14 HR, 47 RBI and 45 R in 75 games in Double-A the last two seasons. pic.twitter.com/bpCSGd6GpF
Riley’s season so far
GM Alex Anthopoulos said multiple times he wasn’t in favor of promoting prospects too quickly; Riley gave him little choice.
The Braves promoted Riley to AA towards the end on the 2017 season. He finished that year batting .315/.389/.511/.900 with a .408 wOBA and 162 wRC+. This season he picked up where he off.
He began destroying AA pitching when the season started and hasn’t let up. He’s hit safely in 21 of his 26 games so far and boasts a current line of .333/.394/.677/1.071 that includes 19 XBH (six homers) and 20 RBI.
Those numbers translate to 193 wRC+ and a .408 wOBA and rumors of an immanent promotion. Today that promotion became a reality.
Former Panther Bryse Wilson has been called up to AA Mississippi Braves. pic.twitter.com/oXdTjuaaSM
— Orange Baseball (@baseballorange) May 5, 2018
Wilson moves to Pearl
Shortly after news of Riley’s promotion came word that Bryse Wilson joins the M-Braves tonight.
Last year with Rome Wilson threw 137 innings in 26 starts, finishing the year with a 2.50 ERA, 3.20 FIP and 1.04 WHIP while averaging 9.13 K/9 and walked just 2.43 per nine IP.
So far this season Wilson’s made five starts for the Fire Frogs, striking out 26 and walking seven in 26 2/3 IP while posting a 0.34 ERA, 2.43 FIP and 0.86 WHIP..
He joins an M-Braves rotation that includes Braves number two prospect Kyle Wright and number eight prospect Touki Toussaint.
Rumors
Speculation about the future of Anfernee Seymour swirls quietly in the background. Seymour hit well for the Frogs in 2017 – albeit with a 25.5% K rate – but started badly this season. After 24 games and 96 PA he’s swinging a puny .195/.242/.287/.529 with a 29% K rate. That’s not ideal and could lead to a change but there’s nothing official yet.
On the flip side some have speculated that may Kyle Muller be promoted soon as well. That seems unlikely as he’s only been with the Frogs since the start of the season and while pitching well it doesn’t look good enough for a quick jump to Pearl.